JP2001184830A - Tape cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely mount a reel retaining spring in a state posture without complicating the structure of a cassette shell. SOLUTION: This tape cassette has a mouse part which is a recessed part to be inserted with a tape drawing out member. The part in proximity to the mouse part is provided with a sensor pace to be inserted with the light emitting part of an optical sensor for detecting a tape end disposed at a recording and reproducing device. The sensor space is provided with a dustproof cap 140 of a separate body which is formed at a lower shell 100 and covers the sensor space and a retaining rib 150 to compression bond the dustproof cap to the lower shell is formed at an upper shell 110. The base end of the reel retaining spring, which consists of a leaf spring material and is extended with two repulsive arms for compression bonding the two tape reels to the lower shell from a base end 171, is positioned by the retaining rib to the upper shell and is fixed to the upper shell by caulking of a caulking projection 160 projectingly disposed at the position enclosed by the retaining rib of the upper shell.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a novel tape cassette. More specifically, the present invention relates to a technique for securely mounting a reel holding spring for preventing rattling of two tape reels and simplifying the structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a tape cassette in which a tape reel on which a tape-shaped recording medium is wound is housed in a cassette shell, the tape reel is moved toward the bottom of the cassette shell so that the tape reel does not move unnecessarily in the cassette shell. A pressing spring for pressing the reel is provided.

[0003] Usually, two tape reels are housed in a tape cassette. When the two tape reels are pressed by one reel pressing spring, the base is fixed to the upper surface of the cassette shell, The tape reel is pressed by two elastic arms extending from the base. In such a case, if the attitude of the reel presser spring becomes unstable, the position of the tip of the elastic arm is disturbed, and the tape reel cannot be pressed properly. Therefore, it is a problem how to mount the reel holding spring having two elastic arms to the cassette shell in a stable posture.

An example of such a tape cassette is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-258780.
It is shown in FIG.

[0005] In the tape cassette, the elastic springs c, c extend from the base b in a V-shape.
A connection hole d and a fitting hole e are formed in the base b.
Guide projections f, f protrude from both side edges of the base b.

On the other hand, guide walls h, h are formed on the upper shell g, and a retaining projection i is provided at a portion surrounded by the guide walls h, h, and a portion surrounded by the guide walls h, h. The fastening bosses j are protrudingly provided at portions deviated from the above.

The reel pressing spring a allows the fastening boss of the upper shell g to be loosely fitted in the fitting hole e, and the guide projections f, f
The base b is dropped into a portion surrounded by the guide walls h and h while the base b is brought into contact with the inner surfaces of the opposing guide walls h and h, and the retaining boss i is fitted into the connection hole d and caulked. Thereby, it is attached to the upper shell g.

When the reel holding spring a is mounted as described above, the position of the tip of the elastic arms c, c is not disturbed, and the reel holding spring a is supported by the upper shell g in a stable posture. .

[0009]

In the conventional tape cassette described above, the reel pressing spring a is attached to the cassette shell in a stable posture. In addition to the retaining projection i, a fastening boss j and guide walls h, h for stabilizing the posture are separately required, and there is a problem that the structure of the cassette shell becomes complicated. For this reason, the shape of the mold for forming the cassette shell becomes complicated, and the cost increases accordingly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to reliably mount a reel holding spring in a stable posture without complicating the structure of a cassette shell.

[0011]

According to the tape cassette of the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a cassette shell is formed by vertically joining a lower shell and an upper shell, and a tape end provided in a recording / reproducing apparatus. The sensor space in which the light emitting portion or the light receiving portion of the detection optical sensor is inserted is formed in the lower shell, and a separate dustproof cap is provided to cover the sensor space, and the dustproof cap is pressed against the upper shell against the lower shell. A presser rib is formed, and a base end of a reel presser spring, which is made of a leaf spring material and has two resilient arms extending from the base end to press two tape reels separately against the lower shell, is provided on the upper shell. It is fixed to the upper shell by caulking of a caulking projection that is positioned by the holding rib and protrudes from the upper shell at a position surrounded by the holding rib. It is obtained by way.

Therefore, in the tape cassette of the present invention, the holding rib for positioning the base end of the reel holding spring is originally required for another purpose, that is, for holding the dustproof cap in the sensor space. In addition, the positioning projection which is conventionally required is not required, and the shape of the upper shell is simplified.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the tape cassette of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The cassette tape 10 is rotatably housed in a thin box-shaped cassette shell 20 with tape reels 40 and 50 wound with a magnetic tape 30 as a tape-shaped recording medium. A front lid 60 covering the front side of the magnetic tape 30 and a back lid 70 covering the rear side of the magnetic tape 30, and the back lid 70 is connected to the cassette shell 2.
The front lid 60 is rotatably supported at the front end of the slider 80. The slider 80 is integrally formed with a slider 80 supported movably in the front-rear direction.

The front lid 60 is formed by integrally forming a front portion 61 serving as a front surface and side portions 62, 62 protruding rearward from both side ends of the front portion 61, and is provided inside the left side portion 62. The lid lock member 90 is supported. In addition, a notch 62a is formed in an upper edge portion of the side portions 62, 62.
62a are formed.

The cassette shell 20 has a thin box shape, and a large concave portion 21 called a mouth portion is formed at the front of the cassette shell 20. The mouth part 21 is opened forward, upward and downward.

The mouse section 21 of the cassette shell 20
Are formed as tape pull-out portions 22, 22 having a shape like a rectangular tube laid down, and the tape pull-out portions 22, 22 have front ends 22a, 22a opened. Then, the magnetic tape 30 is pulled out from the openings 22a, 22a of the tape draw-out portions 22, 22, and is stretched between the openings 22a, 22a so as to cross the front surface of the mouse portion 21.

Transparent tapes 31, 31 (refer to FIG. 4) called leader tapes are connected to both ends of the magnetic tape 30, and the ends of the leader tapes 31, 31 are fixed to tape reels 40, 50. ing.

The cassette shell 20 is formed in the shape of a thin box by joining the lower shell 100 and the upper shell 110 to each other by abutting them up and down.

The lower shell 100 has a bottom wall 101, a rear wall 102, side walls 103 and 103, and a front wall 104. Inside the left and right central portions of the front wall 104, that is, in the left and right direction of the mouse unit 21, An insertion hole 120 is formed immediately behind the center portion, and a rear wall 121 and side walls 122 and 122 surrounding the insertion hole 120 from behind are formed. One of these walls 121, 122, 122 and the front wall 104 is formed. The space 130 surrounded by the section is a sensor space into which the light emitting section of the tape end sensor provided in the recording / reproducing apparatus is inserted. The portions 131, 131 between the rear wall 121 and the side walls 122, 122 are light transmitting portions that face the side from the sensor space 130. And
In the sensor space 130, the front wall 104 is formed with a protruding ridge having an L-shaped cross section which is vertically separated and located in the left and right direction, whereby two support grooves 104a, 104a whose openings are opposed to each other are formed. It is formed.

The side walls 103, 1 of the lower shell 100
The light-transmitting notch 10 is located at a position of the upper edge of the light-receiving portion 03 that can be seen from the center of the sensor space 130 through the light-transmitting portions 131 and 131.
3a and 103a are formed.

The sensor space 130 includes the dustproof cap 14
Covered by 0. The dustproof cap 140 is located
41, side portions 142, 142 and supported ridges 143, 14
3 are integrally formed of transparent plastic. The upper surface 141 has a shape that fits slightly between the front wall 104 and the rear wall 121 of the sensor space 130, and extends downward from the left and right side edges of the upper surface 141.
2, 142 are protruded, and the supported ridges 143, 143 are protruded sideways along the front edges of the side surfaces 142, 142.

The dust cap 140 described above is
The supported ridges 143, 143 are supported grooves 1 of the lower shell 100.
04a, 104a and supported by the lower shell 100, whereby the sensor space 130 is
00 front wall 104, sensor space 130 rear wall 121
And it is closed by the side parts 142 and 142 of the dustproof cap 140.

Since the dust-proof cap is for closing the sensor space, its shape is as described above.
It is not limited to 40. For example, when the sensor space is surrounded by a transparent cylinder provided in the lower shell, the dust-proof cap may be a plate-shaped one that only covers the upper surface of the cylinder, or In the case where a wall or the like surrounding the sensor space is hardly formed in the shell, the dustproof cap may be a transparent cylindrical one whose upper end is closed.

Pressing ribs 150, 150 for pressing the dustproof cap 140 toward the bottom surface of the lower shell 100 are formed on the lower surface of the upper shell 100. The holding rib 150,
150 is formed at the center of the front end of the upper shell 110 in the left-right direction so as to extend in the front-rear direction while being spaced apart left and right, and the interval between them is slightly smaller than the left-right width of the upper surface 141 of the dustproof cap 140. . Therefore, when the lower shell 100 and the upper shell 110 are connected, the holding rib 1
50 and 150 press the left and right side edges of the upper surface 141 of the dustproof cap 140 downward.

The pressing rib 1 on the lower surface of the upper shell 110
A substantially column-shaped caulking projection 160 protrudes from a portion between 50 and 150.

The reel presser spring 170 attached to the upper shell 110 has a substantially rectangular base end portion 171 and two elastic arms 172, 172 extending so as to form a substantially rectangular shape with each other. The elastic arms 172, 172 extend obliquely downward from the base end 171 such that their distal ends are lower than the base end 171. The base end 171 has a mounting hole 173 formed substantially at the center thereof.
The width of 71 is substantially equal to the interval between the holding ribs 150.

The attachment of the reel presser spring 170 to the upper shell 110 is performed as follows.

With the reel holding spring 170 turned upside down, its base end 171 is positioned between the holding ribs 150 of the upper shell 110 placed with its lower surface facing up. Then, since the two elastic arms 172, 172 are heavier, the elastic arms 172, 172 come into contact with the lower surface of the upper shell 110 as shown in FIG.
Is in an obliquely floating state between the holding ribs 150. However, by setting the height of the caulking protrusion 160, that is, the amount of protrusion from the lower surface of the upper shell 110, sufficiently large, the caulking protrusion 160 is inserted into the mounting hole 173 of the base end portion 171. . Thus, while pressing the base end portion 171 against the lower surface of the upper shell 110, a portion of the caulking projection 160 projecting from the mounting hole 173 is thermally caulked or the like, as shown in FIG. It can be fixed to a portion between the holding ribs 150.

As described above, the reel holding spring 170
Is attached to the upper shell 110. Then, since the base end portion 171 of the reel presser spring 170 is fitted into the space between the presser ribs 150 of the upper shell 110, the posture of the reel presser spring 170 does not fluctuate.
The positions of the tips of 72 and 172 are stabilized.

As described above, the upper shell 110 to which the reel presser spring 170 is attached is mounted on the tape reels 40 and 5.
0, lower shell 100 equipped with dustproof cap 140, etc.
Is coupled with the elastic holding arm 17 of the reel holding spring 170.
2 and 172 are elastically contacted with the upper ends of the center portions of the tape reels 40 and 50 to press the tape reels 40 and 50 toward the bottom surface of the cassette shell 20.
0 and 150 come into contact with the upper surface portion 141 of the dustproof cap 140 and press the dustproof cap 140 against the bottom surface of the cassette shell 20.

Also, light transmissive notches 103a, 103a formed in the lower shell 100 are formed on the side surface of the cassette shell 20.
Is formed.

When the tape cassette 10 is not in use, as shown in FIG. 1, the slider 80 is located at the front end of the moving range and the front lid 60 is in the closed position where the front lid 60 is rotated downward. A portion of the tape 30 which is located across the front end of the mouse portion 21 is covered by the front portion 61 of the front lid 60 and the back lid 70, and is locked by the reel lock member 90. Have been.

When the tape cassette 10 is mounted on a recording / reproducing apparatus (not shown), the lock by the lid lock member 90 is released, the front lid 60 rotates upward, and the slider 80 moves to the cassette shell 2.
The mouse unit 21 is moved rearward, and the front and top and bottom of the mouse unit 21 are opened as shown in FIGS. In addition, the notches 62 a formed on the side portions 62 of the front lid 60 are in a state of being overlapped with the light transmitting windows 103 a formed on the side portions of the cassette shell 20.

The light transmitting window 10 of the cassette shell 20
Notch 6 of front lid 60 overlapping 3a and 103a
2a, light receiving section 1 of the tape end sensor close to 62a
80a and 180a are located, and the light emitting portion 18 of the tape end sensor is inserted into the sensor space 130 through the insertion hole 120.
0b is located. When the end of the magnetic tape 30 is positioned on the supply side or the winding side, that is, when the end of the magnetic tape 30 is reached, the light of the light transmitting section 180b is received by the one light receiving section 180a through the leader tape 31, and Then, the recording / reproducing device detects that the end of the tape is reached, and the corresponding process is performed.

In the tape cassette 10 described above,
The base end 171 of the reel holding spring 170 is the dustproof cap 1
Pressing rib 1 provided to press down on 40
Since the positioning is performed by 50 and 150, there is no need to provide a special portion for positioning the reel pressing spring 170, and the structure of the cassette shell 20 is simplified accordingly. Therefore, the cassette shell, specifically, the upper shell 11
The mold shape for molding 0 becomes simple,
The manufacturing cost of the mold is reduced and the durability of the mold is also improved, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the cassette shell.

The reel holding spring 170 is connected to the upper shell 1.
Caulking protrusion 160 and holding rib 1 for fixing to 10
Since no special tall member such as a tape reel is located below the position where the 50 and 150 are formed, the caulking protrusion 160 and the holding rib 150 and 1
Since the height of 50 can be made sufficiently high,
As shown in FIG. 9, the positioning and mounting of the reel presser spring 170 can be reliably performed.

It should be noted that the shapes and structures of the respective parts shown in the above-described embodiments are merely examples of the specific embodiments to be carried out when carrying out the present invention. The scope should not be construed as limiting.

[0039]

As is apparent from the above description, the tape cassette of the present invention is provided with a tape for a recording / reproducing apparatus at the front of a cassette shell containing two tape reels wound with a tape-shaped recording medium. The tape-shaped recording medium has a mouse portion that is a concave portion into which the pull-out member is inserted, and a part of the tape-shaped recording medium is positioned so as to cross the front end of the mouse portion. A tape cassette provided with a sensor space into which a light emitting unit or a light receiving unit of a provided tape end detection optical sensor is inserted, wherein the cassette shell is formed by a lower shell and an upper shell abutting up and down, The sensor space is formed in the lower shell, and a separate dustproof cap is provided to cover the sensor space. The dustproof cap is pushed on the upper shell with respect to the lower shell. A presser rib is formed, and a base end of a reel presser spring, which is made of a leaf spring material and has two elastic arms extending from a base end thereof for separately pressing the two tape reels against a lower shell, is an upper shell. And the upper shell is fixed to the upper shell by caulking of a caulking projection projecting from the upper shell at a position surrounded by the pressing rib.

Therefore, in the tape cassette of the present invention, the holding rib for positioning the base end of the reel holding spring is originally used for another purpose, that is, for holding the dustproof cap in the sensor space. In addition, the positioning projection which is conventionally required is not required, and the shape of the upper shell is simplified.
Therefore, the shape of the mold for forming the upper shell is simple, the production cost of the mold is reduced, and the durability of the mold is also improved. As a result, the production cost of the cassette shell is reduced.

The position where the swaging protrusion and the holding rib for fixing the reel holding spring 170 to the upper shell are formed is not located below, because no special tall member such as a tape reel is located. Since the heights of the caulking projection and the holding rib can be made sufficiently high, the positioning and mounting of the reel holding spring can be reliably performed.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the sensor space is surrounded by a wall having a light-transmitting notch formed therein so as to see through a light-transmitting window formed in a side wall of the cassette shell. Is made of a transparent material and has a side surface for closing the light-transmitting cutout of the wall, so that the sensor space is reliably closed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the tape cassette of the present invention together with FIGS. 2 to 9, and is a perspective view showing a state where a front lid is in a closed position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which both a front lid and a back lid are in a cover opening position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the state of FIG. 2 viewed from below.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view showing a state in which the recording / reproducing apparatus is mounted.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a lower shell to which a dustproof cap is attached.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the upper shell.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part.

8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing a state in which the reel presser spring is being mounted.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of a conventional tape cassette.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: tape cassette, 20: cassette shell, 21 ...
Mouse part, 30 ... magnetic tape (tape recording medium), 4
0: Tape reel, 50: Tape reel, 100: Lower shell, 103a: Translucent window, 110: Upper shell, 121:
Rear wall (wall), 122: side wall (wall), 130: sensor space, 131: translucent portion (transmissive cutout), 140: dustproof cap, 142: side portion, 150: holding rib, 160: caulking projection , 170: reel holding spring, 171: base end,
172: elastic arm, 180a: light receiving portion of optical sensor for detecting tape end, 180b: light emitting portion of optical sensor for detecting tape end

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Jun Sasaki 6-7-35 Kita Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation F-term (reference) 5D105 AB08 BC10 BC11 PC01

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A tape cassette comprising a tape shell on which two tape reels on which a tape-shaped recording medium is wound are housed therein. A part of the recording medium is positioned so as to cross the front end of the mouse part, and a light emitting part or a light receiving part of a tape end detecting optical sensor provided in the recording / reproducing apparatus is inserted into a part close to the mouse part. A tape cassette provided with a sensor space, wherein the cassette shell is formed by a lower shell and an upper shell abutting up and down, and the sensor space is formed separately in the lower shell and covers the sensor space. A dust-proof cap is provided; a press rib for pressing the dust-proof cap against the lower shell is formed on the upper shell; The base end of a reel press spring having two elastic arms for separately pressing the tape reel against the lower shell is positioned on the upper shell by the press rib and is surrounded by the press rib of the upper shell. Characterized in that the tape cassette is fixed to the upper shell by caulking of a caulking protrusion protruding at a position where the tape cassette protrudes. 2. The sensor space is surrounded by a wall having a light-transmitting notch formed therein so as to see through a light-transmitting window formed in a side wall of the cassette shell, and the dust-proof cap is formed of a transparent material and the wall is formed. The tape cassette according to claim 1, further comprising a side surface that closes the light-transmitting notch.